Friday, September 22, 2000

When I first got on the Internet years ago, there wasn't much going on with websites, and bulletin boards. You had to dial into the tranditional Bulletin Board System (BBS), and leave messages there. Then, the BBS's were available via Telnet. Then Email got big. Now, you can't find very many BBS's that are still running. I used to run a BBS, Memory Alpha. It ran for 15 years, and when I moved into a house, I decided to not start it up again, because it wasn't really worth the work, and costs of an extra phone line. I still miss the feeds that I got, from FidoNet, INet, and others. Maybe in a few years, I'll start a BBS again, but I think the Internet has basically killed the BBS. No one uses a modem to dial out to BBS's, only to their internet connection.

Now, I was really missing all the closeness that comes with being on a BBS, either as a user, or as the Sysop... then I found myself at a website called NetSisters. I joined their group, putting the webring fragment on my page. I looked around the site and joined a few committees, one of them, called Social Butterfly Committee, where I met some wonderful people, most noteably, Sister Domynoe. I'd only been a member for a month or two when Social Butterflies was closed, and I was angry, since it was a great committee, so I wrote the Diamonds at NetSisters, and complained. Didn't do any good, or so I thought. (More on this later), but Domy asked me to be Ruby in the new Social Lights committee. I was shocked, amazed, and of course, said yes. I was now in a Leadership position, and loving it... several months went by, and the Social Lights changed Diamonds (leaders in NetSisters), faster than you can change your underwear. I remained a Ruby, and even got to be Head Ruby of Social Lights for a short time. After I was "replaced", although, everyone was told I stepped down, I was really not happy with NetSisters. Most of it had to do with the Diamonds in charge of Social Lights. They made me Head Ruby, then when my tactlessness got a few complaints, instead of coming to me and telling me so, so I could fix the problems, they canned me. And made it sound like I stepped down, so I wouldn't be "hurt". Well, I was plenty hurt, but before I could quit NetSisters, the great split happened. Most of the diamonds went off to start another organization when the Diamond that founded NetSisters would not leave, and let the other Diamonds do what they wanted. Sister Dizzy didn't do anything wrong, and when Sister LakesLady supported her in not leaving, the others just left. Well, good riddence to them. NetSisters is now better than it was before the split. And a split it was. The Diamonds that left, Jenn and Sue being the leaders, copied EVERYTHING from NetSisters and tried to get the entire membership to move by saying they were changing the URL and requiring everyone to be in a committee. A few of us asked questions, and we found out that they were trying to get us to abandon the original NetSisters because they didn't want Dizzy around anymore. Thankfully, one diamond didn't move, and several Ruby sisters followed her example. We pulled together, and made this group better!

Gads, this DID start out as a positive post... really it did.

With the split, it was decided that WE (the original NetSisters) would change the committee names to be different. We did, and the Social Lights committee became the Social Butterflies Committee once again! I'm still a Ruby, and very happy to be one!

Another online group that I joined (actually, the FIRST one that I joined), was the Phenomenal Women of the Web. It's a very exclusive membership. Your site is judged and you are then accepted or not into the group. In March of 1999, I was accepted into PWOTW. I was shocked and amazed, as I didn't think that my 2nd website (I had a small Science Fiction site that was mostly links), was that good, but apprarently the founder of PWOTW did. This group was the first to accept me, and I will always be grateful that Nancy saw my website as something special.

The Site Fights (TSF) isn't really like NetSisters or PWOTW, because it's a website competition. I joined in September 1999, after asking Domynoe, what TSF was. She kept mentioning it, and I had no clue what it was, or what I was getting into. Well, I found out! *laugh* I started competing with this site, and two weeks after I started fighting, I was asked by Queen Lothlindorie, the leader of the Seryn Isle Elves, who also goes by Domynoe *grin*, to be part of the staff. I said yes, and changed teams to fight on, ending up on D'Unicorns. After two months of fighting, I finally made it into the Warzone, twice, and then changed teams yet again, to DPets, because of the theme of my site. I was a Fairy for Seryn, a Quill for Seryn, and very busy. Then Queen Lothlindorie stepped down as team leader, and a few months after her Head Assistant, Moonshadow was made team leader, the theme changed. During the month of transition from Seryn Isle Elves to Star Guardians of Elentaria (it takes awhile to design new pages and all that goes with a team), I was asked by D'Scribe Dreamer to be a Scribe. Scribes are the leaders of the Quills for each team, and they throw guestbook parties in the fighter's guestbooks. I accepted, and stepped down as Junior Assistant to Seryn, and Assistant to Lady Symrriven of the Seryn Isle Fairies. I also retired from fighting, to devote all my time to the team I am Scribe for, D'Patriots Freedom Fighters.

I recently joined the Divine Divas of the Web, and I don't know too much about the group, other than I was invited. I've got to get some time to go to their site and get somewhat involved, if I can find the free time. *laugh*

That's basically all the groups I'm in and where I've been somewhat active, or if I'm not active, very proud to be in (if I'm active, I AM proud to be a member). :)

posted by ">DanaWheels ~*~ 9/22/2000 08:21:46 PM ~*~ link

I'm really frustrated, bitchy, and out of sorts. Feels like my cycle is going to start, but it just finished about 2 weeks ago, and it's very regular every month. I've been snapping at Gillis (who I just crated because he wanted IN my lap), and snapping at Keith. *sigh* I hate it when this happens.

posted by ">DanaWheels ~*~ 9/22/2000 06:21:54 PM ~*~ link

Well, the brace guy said that having braces past the knee wouldn't help at all, so we are doing the below the knee bilateral AFOs. I thought that today I'd have the casting done, but all we did was talk. *sigh*. Kinda a waste of going to the hospital, but at least it wasn't to the UW Medical Center as that is 60 or so miles. Way too far away.

posted by ">DanaWheels ~*~ 9/22/2000 05:30:43 PM ~*~ link

Wednesday, September 20, 2000

It's 11:18pm, and I'm sitting here wondering about Friday. Friday I go to the hospital and get fitted for braces (on my legs). The scary part, is that my physical therapist is going to recommend that the braces go all the way up to my hips, instead of just below the knee. I've never had braces that went past the knee. It's scary, because I will probably have trouble getting them on and off, and if the knee locks straight, that's gonna HURT, as my knees are bent from spastic muscles.

This is supposed to increase my independance when I work out at the health club, but is it really going to? Or is it going to make it difficult or impossible to get dressed and undressed? It may allow me to walk more because it'll keep my legs from getting tired, but it may also mean I will fall and can't get up (when I had these braces below the knee, I'd fall and not be able to get up without help). Having Gillis may solve that, but this time I'm deciding to do something to my own body, not having my parents decide.

Oh, I've made medical decisions before. Ever since I was 18. However, I've had some wonderful failures, too. When I was 21, an operation to make it easier to walk, didn't. The doctor (I found out later) has a history of screwing up operations on people over 21 so they can't do much. I don't know why he does this, but my old physical therapist from Elementary School confirmed this when I was 25. The pump worked fine for 6 months then my body didn't respond to the baclofen. I wonder if it'll do that in 6 months again, but right now, it's working.

posted by ">DanaWheels ~*~ 9/20/2000 11:30:27 PM ~*~ link

I've been authorized to sell the best and almost the only dog training book for the disabled. Teamwork and Teamwork II by Top Dog. The only other places that sell Teamwork are bookstores. Having the ability to offer these books at a discount to disabled persons, makes me feel like I'm doing something good with my life.

Yeah, I know that I have been doing good with the website, but sometimes you need something more. :) If I can make these books available to those that would normally not train a dog because they are disabled, then I'm happy.

It all started as a lark, when I put up a page with Gillis's equipment, and mentioned that I build wrap-around leashes that work great if you need your hands free, and people started ordering the leash, and now with Teamwork, I am able to help a disabled person use a family pet as a service dog. If anyone is interested in the Teamwork books, you can see them at: Teamwork books.

posted by ">DanaWheels ~*~ 9/20/2000 08:27:39 PM ~*~ link

The event chairman answered the letter sent by my advocate, and basically told him what he wanted to hear. The Board of Directors still has to discuss it, but I don't see Registation not being in the Lobby, and so, I'll be fighting spasticity, and not being able to talk. The chairman even said that I suggested it be in the Lobby by the fireplace. Yeah, right. Sure I did, it was in front of the fireplace last year, and I still froze.

The vice chair sent me some really nasty emails and basically said he can't trust me anymore because I had this letter sent to them. He said he isn't sure I won't corrupt the membership database if he gives me access to it. I would NEVER do such a thing. I don't hate these people, I just am fighting for my civil rights, but they don't seem to understand this.

Well, the saga continues.

posted by ">DanaWheels ~*~ 9/20/2000 08:02:01 PM ~*~ link

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